The above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,814 discloses a system and method for treating wastewater collected from septic tanks and similar installations, and rendering the wastewater conducive to biochemical treatment in a conventional wastewater treatment system. The present invention is directed to modifications of that system and a related method which permit treatment of ester-containing wastewater and transforming that wastewater into a condition so as to be conducive to biochemical treatment in a conventional wastewater treatment system.
Most restaurant and fast food establishments are required to have a grease trap which permits the grease to congeal, and excludes it from entering the sewer system. This congealed grease must be removed from these traps periodically and disposed of by some approved method.
The manner in which the wastewater laden with esters is disposed of varies significantly depending upon local ordinances and restrictions. In many areas, discharge into a conventional municipal wastewater treatment plant is either the required, or at least preferred, method of disposal. However, because ester-laden wastewater is most often in a non-biodegradable condition, the discharge of this concentrated wastewater into a conventional municipal wastewater treatment facility will either deteriorate the efficiency of that facility, or in some cases will even cause failure of the entire treatment system.